Why is a Central License the preferred and recommended method of licensing?

Central Licensing is the preferred and recommended method of licensing because it simplifies the license management process and reduces the risk of license issues. Central Licensing ties to the IP address of the management server and is not dependent on the IP of any gateway in the event it changes. This means that you can easily add, remove, or replace gateways without affecting your license status. Central Licensing also allows you to view and manage all your licenses from one central location using SmartConsole or SmartUpdate. Central Licensing is supported with Gaia and is not the only option when deploying Gaia. Central Licensing does not tie to the IP address of a gateway and cannot be changed to any gateway if needed. References: Check Point R81 Licensing and Contract Administration Guide, page 7